


what goes up

by poalimal



Series: beyond the sky [2]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Captain America - All Media Types, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Abduction, Alternate Universe - Age Changes, Gen, Identity Issues, Internal Marvel Crossover?, Teen Hero!Sam, wingfic?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-18
Updated: 2016-09-18
Packaged: 2018-08-15 18:13:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,197
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8067631
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/poalimal/pseuds/poalimal
Summary: By the time three months have passed, Sam's convinced himself that he dreamed the whole Captain America encounter. Nothing prepares him for the absolute walking nightmare that is Mr Tony Stark.





	

 

By the time three months have passed, Sam's convinced himself that he dreamed the whole Captain America encounter.

Nothing prepares him for the absolute walking nightmare that is Mr Tony Stark.

He genuinely doesn't even recognise him, to begin with, so at first he just thinks this weird white guy is testing his poor conversational skills on a stranger. Who goes up to someone they don't know and just says: 'Let me guess - gymnastics'?

Sam, who with one whiff of the man inside the elevator, had subtly pressed himself up against the side furthest from him, has no idea what he's talking about. 'What?'

'How you get so, ah, _limber_ ,' the man waves his hand casually, 'it's gotta be gymnastics.' And if that wasn't an uncomfortable enough comment, he adds: 'I watched you take down those guys last night and thought I was watching the Olympics.'

Sh-it. Sam keeps his body language cool and relaxed, doesn't break eye contact or shift expression. 'What? Who are you?'

'Oh, Sam,' the man says, chuckling, 'we're so far beyond the denial stage, it's not even funny.' Clearly he thinks it's a little funny! 'Listen: I know you're the DC Batman, you know you're the DC Batman, and now we both know that both of us know you're the DC Batman, so let's skip this whole I'm Not Who You Say I Am routine, yes?'

DC Batman? Sam goes by The Falcon, thank you _very_ much. He doesn't give an inch. 'If you think you already know what you say you know,' he says, shrugging, 'then I'm not sure why you're even talking to me about it.'

The man leans past him and hits the Emergency Stop button. Sam immediately shifts into a fighting stance.

The man snorts. 'Oh, relax,' he says, 'I just wanna talk.'

'I don't have time to talk to you,' Sam says. 'I have somewhere to be.'

'Would you stop worrying,' says the man, 'I already sent somebody to pick up your little brother.'

Sam's on him in a second, it's not even a choice. 'Where,' he says, 'did you take Gideon.'

The man blinks down at him. 'Super strength, too?' he squeezes out. 'This just keeps getting better and better.'

Sam shakes him so hard his head almost hits the back of the elevator. 'Where is my little brother!'

'Well, if you'd stop strangling me and let me down I can call my associate and see!' says the man. Sam reluctantly complies. The man takes out something that looks like a really sleek Droid. 'JARVIS, call Pepper.'

'Very good, sir,' says the superdroid phone. 'I notice that you haven't pressed me to your ear - would you like me to place the call on speaker?'

'Please do,' says the man, with a quick glance at Sam. 'Thanks, JARVIS.'

CALLING, says the superdroid phone, CALLING.

'Hello?' says a woman. 'Tony?'

'Pepper!' says the man named Tony. And the woman's named Pepper? Sam wrinkles his nose. What is she, rich? 'How's it going, how're you doing?'

A pause. 'Well,' says Ms Condiment, 'up until a moment ago, I was being questioned by the police.'

Tony sighs, and begrudgingly tilts up his head so that Sam can better choke him. 'And why were you being questioned by the police.'

'Apparently Gideon disappeared earlier today,' says Pepper. 'And when I asked about him, they thought I was involved, somehow. Tony, am I on speaker?'

Sam's got to get out of here. 'Look, Sam,' Tony is saying, 'I need you to stay calm, we're going to get to--'

No. He stops listening. The next thing he knows, he's standing in a place he's never been before, holding something tight against himself. He can't look at it right now, but it's important, and he can't let it go. He twitches, senses on high alert, turning 'round and 'round to follow the person circling him. Something about their smell...or the way they walk...something about them tells Sam they're not quite human. The suit and mask they wear is all grey: no gaps to whatever is beneath. And the face area is...it's _wrong_ , somehow. Sam twists around, watching the greysuit like a hawk--

Something tugs down on his shirt, _Gideon_ , Gideon is pulling on Sam's shirt insistently - his baby brother is crying, Sam realises: crying so hard he's all snotted up, trembling when Sam runs a hand over his head in comfort. Even his glasses are beaded with tears, 'oh, Gideon', Sam says, eyes welling up in response. He sucks in a breath - and gasps when his entire body collapses in on itself, Jesus _Christ_ , his arms and legs are water, his lungs seafire, his whole back flayed wet. Gideon crumples right down to the ground with him, hiccuping so hard his whole body jumps, 'nonono, Sam, they're gunna hurt you, you godda get up, Sam, we godda fly--' The black edges suck up all of Sam's vision, his body won't respond, and Gideon is wailing, wailing, wailing.

Are those sirens? Is that the--the police?

Fuck.

 

* * *

 

'The whole point of being in hiding,' Mr Stark says, 'is that you don't let anyone know where you are!'

'I understand that you are trying to help us, Mr Stark,' says Mama, 'but my family is my life. And I am not exaggerating when I say I will die without them.'

'Do you think we're exaggerating? Do you think _they_ won't die?' says Mr Stark. 'Something or someone is kidnapping young mutants faster than we can find them. That means they were trying to get Sam - but they would have picked up Gideon and Sarah, too, if we hadn't stepped in. Do not give them an excuse to look at your sister's family.'

'If my family is in danger, they deserve to know!' Mama says. Sam thinks of Aunt TeeTee, Uncle By. Ava. Little Abe. Last he saw them was Christmas. Aunt TeeTee tried to talk to him about college; he just shut her down.

'And we have let them know, ma'am,' says Ms Colinas. 'It doesn't help anyone at this point for you to contact them.'

'How can you say that? It would help _me_ ,' Mama says, voice breaking. Sam, Sarah and Gideon are frozen against the wall by the top of the stairs, faced with the impossible sound of their mother crying in front of strangers.

Sarah looks directly up at Sam. 'I hate you,' she whispers. 'You and your stupid wings.'

 

* * *

 

Their floor in Stark Tower is spacious and fancy and very unlived in -- like the nicest hotel Sam's ever seen. Mr Stark says they can stay as long as they like; Sam wonders when they'll be allowed to leave.

The lighting is clear and golden in the bathroom that night, the mirror so shiny Sam looks like a whole new person in it. Stronger, bigger - tired.

He stretches out his whole body; flexes his arms, watches his face when he winces at the pull in his back. Looks down at his bare feet; wiggles his toes.

'Mu-tant,' he says aloud. Testing it, tasting it. He glances up sideways at himself in the mirror. Watching. 'Mutant.'

Is that what he is?

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> \- Maria Colinas is Maria Hill; she's Latin@.  
> \- Sam comes back to himself at Maloof Skate Park.


End file.
